A deputy jailer in Hardin County, Kentucky was suspended with pay after he was arrested for getting in a fight with a sheriff’s deputy inside the county detention center.
WAVE 3 news obtained video of the fight that took place last week. According to the report, Deputy Jailer Joe Funk was arrested after getting into the physical altercation with Sheriff’s Deputy Clennon Smith, who was in the jail reception area to surrender inmate property.
The video does not contain any audio, but an arrest report obtained by the news station shows Funk is accused of throwing the property back at Deputy Smith and then walking out from behind the booking gate to confront the deputy.
Funk can be seen on the video walking towards Smith, gesturing rather wildly with his arms. At that point, the deputy appears to push Funk, while possibly grabbing at his throat. As the two men begin to fight, several other jailhouse personnel rush in to separate the two men. The arrest report then states that deputy Smith attempted to place Funk under arrest, but he refused to comply with the deputy’s demands. A second scuffle then breaks out and deputy Smith allegedly admitted to hitting Funk in the face several times as he struggled to get Funk into handcuffs to complete the arrest.
The arrest report states Funk told authorities he did not comply with the deputy’s demands because he could not understand why he was under arrest. Funk also claimed to have suffered from a swollen noise, bloody lip and other facial injuries as a result of the fight. Funk was eventually taken into custody and charged with menacing, resisting arrest and assault. He was briefly placed in protective custody inside the detention center until he was able to post bond. He was expected to make his first court appearance on Friday.
Deputy Smith remains on the job and has not been disciplined. Authorities say they are still trying to learn whether Funk and Smith have had issues in the past.
[image via Hardin County]
